Shoe-clasp.



PAIENIED AUG.22,1905.

E. J. GURREN.

I SHOE CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 19. 1904.

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IINI'IF STATES PATENT OFFICE..

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed February 19, 1904. Serial No. 194,448.

To all whom, t may concern:

- Be it known that I, EDWARD J. GURREN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Olasps, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to shoe-clasps, together with strips secured to theshoe-upper, which strips are manually engaged in freeing or closing theclasps.

The object of my invention is to dispense with shoe-laces, thuseliminating the incon venience of their use,and to provide means wherebythe upper of the shoe is readily tightened or loosenedV while upon thefoot.

Figure I is a perspective view of a shoe equipped with my improvedclasps. Fig. II is a perspective view of the tongue member of myimproved clasp. Fig. III is a perspective view of the casing orreceiving member of the clasp. Fig. IV is an enlarged section takenapproximately on line IV IV, Fig. I. Fig. V is a detail view showing amodified form of the flexible strip used in connection with my improvedclasp and the means of fastening the free end of said strip to theshoeupper. Fig. VI is a detail section taken on line VI VI, Fig. V.

l indicates the shoe, and Qthe usual tongue thereof. 3 indicates a stripof leather or other flexible materialthat is positioned on the outerface of the shoe-upper, its straight edgebeing flush with the edge ofthe opening in the front of said upper, and said strip is held inposition by stitching 4 or in any other suitable manner. The outer edgesof these strips are scalloped, thus forming a series of tabs orlinger-holds 5. The receiving members of my improved clasp areconstructed of suitable sheet metal, the body portions 6 being tubularand of approximately rectangular shape in cross-section and curvedlongitudinally to conform to the curvature of the shoe-upper at thesides of the opening in the front thereof. Formed in the top or outerwall of said tubular bodies is one or more triangularshaped recesses orpockets 7, the same being made by pressing or stamping the material ofthe tubular casing outwardly.l Integral with the side of the casingopposite the one containing these pockets is a longitudinally-extendingplate 8, in the outer end of which is formed a slot 9, its endsterminating in circular apertures 10.

The tongue member of my irnproved clasp comprises a metallic plate 11,inthe center of which is formed an angular bend 12, terminating in apoint 13. and in outer or rear end of said plate is formed a slot 14,its ends terminating in circular apertures 15. This plate is slightlycurved to correspond with the curvature of the shoe-upper adjacent tothe opening in the front thereof, and the end of said plate oppositefrom the end containing the slot 14 is bent downwardly, as indicated by16, to form a spring-bearing when the tongue member is inserted in theopposite receiving member. Both members of the clasp are detachablysecured to the outside of the shoeupper on opposite sides of the openingin the front by means of rivets 17, which are provided with heads 18 ofsuch a size as that they will readily pass .through the openings 10 and15 at the ends of the slots 9 and 14. The two parts of my improvedfastener thus properly positioned lie against the outer face of theshoe-upper on the opposite sides of the opening therein, and the majorportions of said clasp are hid from View beneath the strips 3, thestitching securing said strips to the shoe-upper being necessarilylocated between the clasps.

By providing the slots 9 and 14 with the apertures at their ends bothmembers of the clasp are made adjustable, so that the shoelupper may betightened or loosened upon the foot, as desired.

In the use of my improved clasp all the receiving members are located onone side of the opening in the shoe-upper and the tongues l upon theopposite side, and when the shoe is placed upon the foot the wearerengages a corresponding pair of the tabs 5 of the strips 3 and forcesthe same toward one another, and in so doing forces the tongue 11 intothe casing 6 until the bend'lQ in said tongue is seated in one of therecesses or notches 7. rIhe spring-bearing 16 on entering the casing 6bears upon the inner wall of said casing opposite the wall in which therecesses 7 are formed, and thus causes thebend 12 to retain its positionin the notch 7 until the resiliency of the spring is overcome by theparts of the clasp being pulled apart by the action ofthe wearer inremoving the shoe. The

strips 3, having their edges formed into the scalloped tabs, present aneat and linished appearance upon the shoe and readily serve as means tobe engaged by the fingers in opening or closing the clasps. If desired,these tabs or finger-holds may be provided with ordinary glove-fasteners19, as seen in Figs. V and VI, thus providing meansfor holding the outerportions of said tabs against the shoeupper.

A shoe-clasp of .my improved construction is very simple in operation,can be quickly adjusted, does awaywith the annoyance incident to theWearing of shoe-laces, and a shoe provided with the clasps can .be veryquickly puton or removed from the foot.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a shoe-clasp, atubular receiving memberprovided with a plurality of recesses in its front face, means wherebysaid tubular member is adjustably and detachably secured to theshoe-upper, and a spring-tongue adjustably and detachably secured to theshoeupper opposite the tubular member; which spring-tongue is providedwith a bend adapted to enter one of the recesses in the tubular Vmember,substantially as specified.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a shoehaving rivets positioned in the upper adjacent the front openingtherein, of engaging clasps arranged along the meeting edges of theshoe-upper in the outer end of which clasps are formed slots, their endsterminating in circular openings adapted to receive the rivets,substantially as speciied. y

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a shoehaving rivets fixed in the shoe-upper adjacent the opening in the frontthereof, of a tubular member arranged on one side of the opening in theupper, there being recesses formed in the Jfront Wall of said tubularmember and there being a slot formed in the outer end of said tubularmember, which slot terminates in apertures to receive one of the rivets,and a spring-tongue arranged on the shoe-upper opposite the tubularmember, which spring-tongue is provided With a bend adapted to enter therecesses in the tubular member and which tongue is provided With a slotin its outer end Which slot terminates in apertures adapted to receiveanother one of the rivets, substantially as specified.

EDWARD J. GURREN. Witnesses:

PETER WRIGHT, JOHN LYoNs.

